Small and Medium Scale Mining

PROJECT TOPICÂ   :Â  SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA (A Case Study of Cassava Processing Industry) PROJECT PROPOSAL BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Interest in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their contribution in the development process continue to be in the forefront of policy debates in developing countries.The advantages claimed for SMEs are various, including: the encouragement of entrepreneurship; the greater likelihood that SMEs will utilise labour intensive technologies and thus have an immediate impact on employment generation; they can usually be established rapidly and put into operation to produce quick returns. SME development can encourage the process of both inter- and intra-regional decentralisation; and, they may well become a countervailing force against the economic power of larger enterprises.More generally the development of SMEs is seen as accelerating the achievement of wider economic and socio-economic objec tives, including poverty alleviation. Staley and Morse (1965) identify a ‘developmental approach’ to SME promotion which has as its objective the creation of ‘economically viable enterprises which can stand on their own feet without perpetual subsidy and can make a positive contribution to the growth of real income and therefore to better living levels’.This approach emphasises the importance of efficiency in new SMEs. Small producers must be encouraged to adopt new methods, move into new lines of production and in the long-run, wherever feasible, they should be encouraged to become medium- or even large-scale producers. The presidential Initiative on Cassava Production and Export has increased the awareness amongst Nigerians of the industrial crop, popularly referred to as the ‘new black gold’.Started in July 2004, the initiative seeks to generate $5 billion in export revenue. Fortunately, Nigeria, according to the Food and Agricultural Organi sation, FAO, in its 2004 report, is currently the largest producer of cassava in the world at 34 million tons yearly, but with a poor yield of an average of 10 tons per hectare over an estimated cultivated land size of three million hectares.Nigeria is closely followed by Brazil and Thailand, which have a capacity to produce 24 million tons and 20 million tons and a yield of 13. 6 tons per hectare and 19. 4 tons per hectare respectively. Unfortunately, experts at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, Oyo State, believe that up to half of the harvested cassava is wasted by production and post-harvest inefficiencies while the rest is consumed as food.Brazil and Thailand, which rarely consume the cassava products directly, have fully developed the cassava industry for the export market. | | Nigeria should not focus on the exportation of cassava but develop the enormous local and regional markets for cassava that exist in the country, West African sub-regio n and Africa as a whole rather than start exporting the industrial raw material to Europe. Nigerians should be encouraged to add value and process them for industrial application.The main thrust of this research work shall focus on the development of small and medium scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry justifying the need for agro-processing industries that convert cassava fresh tubers into primary cassava-based commodities that are tradable in domestic and international markets. STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM The Small Scale Industry is acknowledged to have huge potential for employment generation and wealth creation in any economy. Yet in Nigeria, the sector has stagnated and remains relatively small in terms of its contribution to GDP or to gainful employment.Activity mix in the sector is also quite limited – dominated by import dependent processes and factors. Although there is no reliable data, imprecise indicators show that capacity utilization in th e sector has improved perceptibly in the period since 1999, but the sector is still faced with a number of constraints with lack of credit availability as the principal constraint. Credit is the largest element of risk in the books of most banks and failures in the management of credit risk have led to the weakening individual banks and in some cases the banking system as a whole, have contributed, to many episodes of financial instability.OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main purpose of this study is to identify and consequently analyze the most effective and efficient way through which small scale enterprises could be financed and promoted, thereby taking into consideration various conditions such as economic, political, social, psychological e. t. c under which small-scale enterprises are encouraged to operate with particular reference to the cassava processing industry in Nigeria. In so doing, the researcher intends giving an in-depth information and analysis on the various strategie s through which small-scale enterprises can be developed and encouraged.In view of the above, the researcher intends to find out the following: (i) The role played by government towards promotion and development of small-scale enterprises in Nigeria. (ii) To identify the economic potential of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry. (iii) To identify the constraints confronting the development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria. (iv) To examine the financial support given to SMEs in Nigeria. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The study would examine the following questions: 1.What role does the government play in the promotion and development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria? 2. What impact do small and medium scale enterprises make to Nigeria’s economic growth? 3. What are the constraints confronting the development of small-scale enterprises in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria? 4. Wha t is the trend of the financial support given to SMEs in Nigeria? RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES OF DATA The two main research methods to be used are survey research and content analysis.Survey research method is used to study variables and their relationship as related to human observation and opinions about their experience as it concerns the subject matter of study. Interview schedules shall be applied to some operators while the questionnaire schedule shall be applied to some small-scale entrepreneurs. The data, which would be collected from the questionnaire, will be analysed using the simple percentage method and chi-square, goodness of fit. This will make the analysis of the data more concise and simple. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF STUDY This research covers the area of promoting small and medium scale enterprises n the cassava processing industry, paying attention to the role of the government and other external factors that can affect positively the development of small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. The research intends to study the essential problems encountered by small and medium scale operators in the cassava processing industry and suggest ways by which they can be adequately and efficiently financed and promoted. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Small and medium scale enterprises in Africa rely largely on own savings, not only to grow but also to innovate.Firms often need real services support and formal finance assistance, failing which under-investment in long term capabilities (training and R & D) may result, (Oyelaran, 2003). Besides finance, there are critical elements (including: knowledge, skills and experience of staff; capacity and quality of internal facilities; information and knowledge of market; intellectual and managerial leadership; external infrastructure and the incentive system at the micro and macro levels) that are lacking within technology support institutions themselves.These undermine the effectiveness of their support to SMEs. This study is significant because it would help to evaluate the operations of a vital segment of the industrial sector – small and medium scale industries, which have been identified as having very high potential in promoting economic growth and development. The evaluation shall be done with special focus on the small and medium operators in the cassava processing industry in Nigeria thereby adding to the existing literature on the subject matter.OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS In Chapter one, which is the introductory part; the background of the study, the statement of the research problem, the objectives of the study and the methodology to be adopted shall be discussed. Chapter two will deal with the literature review. The methodology analysis and theoretical framework shall be examined in chapter three.Data presentation, analysis and interpretation will be covered in chapter four while the concluding part of the research work will be chapter five where in a nutshell the summa ry, the conclusion and the recommendations would be discussed. REFERENCES Staley E. and Morse R. (1965) Modern Small-Scale Industry for Developing Countries. London: McGraw-Hill Publishing. Oyelaran O. (2003) Financing and Development of Small-sale industries in Nigeria. Central Bank of Nigeria Economic and Financial Review. 24(4), December.

Legal, Ethical and Operational Issues

P5 Explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business information Definition: Ethics concern an individual's moral judgments about right and wrong. Explanation: Business information belongs to the business owner and any kind of use of the business related information should be used as per the company policy. There are legal consequences in breaking the rules (code of conduct ; code of practice). Staff member needs to use his/her ethical judgement to decide what is right or wrong.Scenario – Update of Staff Handbook on ethical and legal issues in relation to the use of business information. Illegal, inappropriate or unacceptable use of school equipment or communication systems may result in disciplinary action and in serious cases could lead to an employee's dismissal. This list is not exhaustive and includes; ? creating, sending or forwarding any message that would reasonably be considered inappropriate or unacceptable. (E. g. anything non related to school ) ? Committing or implying commitment to any contractual arrangements ?Accessing, publication or circulation of illegal, offensive, unacceptable, inappropriate or non-work related material ? Any illegal activities ? posting confidential information about the school and/or other employees, children or parents ? gambling or gaming ? unauthorised use of school facilities (or employee's personal IT equipment), for personal use during employee's working time Employees receiving inappropriate communication or material or who are unsure about whether something he/she proposes to do might breach this policy should seek advice from their Head teacher.The school has the right to monitor e-mails, phone-calls, internet activity or document production, principally in order to avoid offensive or nuisance material and to protect systems from viruses, but also to ensure proper and effective use of systems. Communication systems may be accessed when the school suspects that the employee has been mis using systems or facilities, or for the investigation of suspected fraud or other irregularity. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES 12. Social networking websites. School employees must not access social networking websites for personal use (e. . Facebook) during work time. Access to some journals, blogs and social networking sites is permitted during work time for the purposes of undertaking job related duties only. School employees must act in the best interests of the school and not disclose personal data or information about any individual including staff, young people or children. This includes images. Access may be withdrawn and disciplinary action taken if there is a breach of confidentiality or defamatory remarks are made about the school, staff, young people or children. The school respects an employee's private life.However, it must also ensure that confidentiality and its reputation are protected. Employees using social networking websites in their private life; 1. Must refrain from identifying themselves as working for the school, in a way which has, or may have, the effect of bringing the school into disrepute. 2. Must not identify other school employees, children or young people without their consent. 3. Must not make any defamatory remarks about the school, it's employees, children or young people, or conduct themselves in a way that is detrimental to the school. . Disclose personal data or information about the school, employees, children or young people, that could breach the Data Protection Act 1998, for example, posting photographs or images of children or young people. 5. Must not allow pupils to access their personal social networking accounts and where they are contacted by a pupil they should bring it to the Head teacher’s attention. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES 13. Personal Websites and BlogsEmployees who wish to set up personal web forums, weblogs or ‘blogs' must do so outside of work, not school equipment and adh ere to the points detailed in the paragraph above. 14. Confidentiality All employees at the school and the Governing Body come into contact with a significant volume of data and information in relation to pupils, staff, school activities and many other matters. There is an obligation to read and to observe the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. 14. 1 Required reading:  · Data Protection Guide – available on intranet. 14. 2 Managing dataUnder the Data Protection Act, staff are required to collect, maintain and dispose of sensitive or personal data in a responsible manner. 14. 3 Disclosing data Staff should not disclose sensitive information about the school, its employees or the local authority to other parties, for example, parents or colleagues. There are particular exceptions to this; for example disclosure of suspected or alleged abuse of a pupil to Child Protection officers; discussion with a person accompanying or representing an employee in a formal meeting or disclosure under the Whistleblowing Procedure.All communication with the media must be directed through the Head teacher or their nominee. There are circumstances in which staff are obliged to release pupil data, for example, parents seeking information about pupil progress or other colleagues in the school. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES 14. 4 Access to data Everyone has the right to request access to data that is held about them and such requests should be made to the Head teacher who will address the request in conjunction with the Local Authority’s Data Protection Officer. 15.Copyright Copyright legislation should be displayed next to photocopier machines and employees are required to adhere to the guidance provided about use of educational resources. P6 Operational Issues in relation to the use of Business information. Operational issues are how to keep your business information safe and secure. It involves legal support to protect the rights of the business to keep its information safe and prevent misuse. Below are the different types of laws that protect the use of Business information. Data Protection Act –Computer Misuse Act Freedom of Information Act Copyright Act The need for the Data Protection Act This was introduced to regulate personal data. Databases are easily accessed, searched and edited. It’s also far easier to cross reference information stored in two or more databases than if the records were paper-based. The computers on which databases resided were often networked. This allowed for organization-wide access to databases and offered an easy way to share information with other organizations. Computer Misuse ActData stored electronically is easier to misuse; that software should not be copied without permission; the consequences of software piracy; that hacking can lead to corruption of data, either accidentally or on purpose. Types of computer misuse Misuse of computers and communications systems comes in sev eral forms: Hacking Hacking is where an unauthorised person uses a network, Internet or modem connection to gain access past security passwords or other security to see data stored on another computer. Hackers sometimes use software hacking tools and often target, for example, particular sites on the Internet.Data misuse and unauthorised transfer or copying Copying and illegal transfer of data is very quick and easy using online computers and large storage devices such as hard disks, memory sticks and DVDs. Personal data, company research and written work, such as novels and textbooks, cannot be copied without the copyright holder's permission. Copying and distributing copyrighted software, music and film This includes copying music and movies with computer equipment and distributing it on the Internet without the copyright holder's permission.This is a widespread misuse of both computers and the Internet that breaks copyright regulations. Identity and financial abuses This topic in cludes misuse of stolen or fictional credit card numbers to obtain goods or services on the Internet, and use of computers in financial frauds. These can range from complex well thought out deceptions to simple uses such as printing counterfeit money with colour printers. Viruses Viruses are relatively simple programs written by people and designed to cause nuisance or damage to computers or their files. The Computer Misuse Act (1990)This was passed by Parliament and made three new offences: Accessing computer material without permission, eg looking at someone else's files Accessing computer material without permission with intent to commit further criminal offences, eg hacking into the bank's computer and wanting to increase the amount in your account Altering computer data without permission, eg writing a virus to destroy someone else's data, or actually changing the money in an account Copyright law This provides protection to the owners of the copyright and covers the copying of written, musical, or film works using computers.FAST is the industry body which is against software theft. There have been cases where laws such as Copyright have been used to crack down on file sharing websites or individuals who store and illegally distribute copyrighted material, e. g. music. There is a massive problem with many people around the world obtaining copyrighted material illegally. M2 Analyze the legal, ethical and operational issues in relation to the use of business information, using appropriate examples. Ethical, Legal and Operational issues in relation to the use of business information Advantages of Ethical, Legal and Operational issuesEthical, Legal and Operational issues in relation to the use of business information in the market place and workplace are becoming increasingly important as organizations move into a period of intense competition for public and consumer support. Therefore, there is a requirement to protect the business information which comes un der operational issues. The business information is protected with the legal laws Organizations are under pressure to develop and maintain policies on business ethics and social responsibility to ensure that they have the support of employees and other stakeholders. Legal Ethical ; Operational) Code of Conduct The how that determines our actions Deutsche Post DHL has devised a code of conduct that has applied to all regions and divisions since the middle of 2006. This code of conduct serves as an â€Å"ethical compass†, providing guidelines for use by about 470,000 employees in their business lives every day. The key pillars of this code of conduct are respect, tolerance, honesty and candor as well as willingness to assume social responsibility.The guidelines apply to all employees, irrespective of their place in the Group's hierarchy, and to divisions. The code of conduct is based on international agreements and guidelines, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Global Compact of the United Nations. Fundamental principles are observance of human rights, equal opportunity, transparency, and clear stands in the battle against discrimination, bribery and corruption. What is Correct Conduct?Deutsche Post DHL deals with a variety of people and organizations who are our stakeholders. Our image as a company depends on how employees conduct themselves in the business world. There is no substitute for personal integrity and sound judgment. When faced with a difficult situation, our employees should consider these questions: 1. Is my action or decision legal? 2. Does it comply with our values and our policies? 3. Is it right and free of any personal conflicts of interest? 4. Could my action or decision withstand public review? What would it look like in a newspaper? 5.Will my action or decision protect the Group's reputation as a company with high ethical standards? If the answe r to each question is â€Å"yes†, the action or decision based on the following principles of conduct is most likely the correct one. Our Ethical Commitment Quality Focus Our commitment to quality is core to our business. In order to achieve the highest quality standards, we will work constantly to improve our structures and processes for the benefit of our customers. This applies to our products, services and management, but also to our behavior. Customer SatisfactionWe place the highest priority on making our customers successful, knowing that customer success guarantees our own success. Our activities are governed by our knowledge of the global and local requirements of our customers and markets. We include and prioritize the customer focus in all our business processes, projects and dealings. We know that we will be measured by our ethical, social and environmental performance as much as by the quality of our service. We therefore strive for best practice in all these are as to secure customer trust. Laws and Ethical StandardsGuided by our Corporate Values, we strive for sustainable development of our business founded on the three pillars: economic performance, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. We will honor the diverse interests of our customers, employees and business partners with integrity, fairness and honesty. We strive for excellence in both our business performance and our ethical behavior. Deutsche Post DHL complies with laws applicable to its business in all regions and countries. We recognize that laws vary with respect to ethical standards within and across the countries in which we work.This may pose particular challenges and dilemmas, which we strive to overcome by adherence to our Corporate Values. Deutsche Post DHL will be guided by the principles of the United Nations' Global Compact. We respect human rights within our sphere of influence and conduct our business in a manner that makes us an employer of choice. We respect the principles of the 1998 International Labor Organization's â€Å"Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work† in accordance with national law and practice. Transparency We are committed to openness in our dealings with our stakeholders.Transparency and honesty shall be the guiding principles in all our communication activities, internally and externally. The public will have access to information concerning our company, in line with what is required or recommended by internationally recognized standards of corporate governance. Accounting and Reporting Standards Deutsche Post DHL relies on the authenticity and accuracy of information recorded in its accounting records for proper decision making. It is of the utmost importance that records dealing with security and personnel, as well as booking and financial data are protected.All business transactions must be reflected accurately in our accounts in accordance with established procedures and auditing st andards. Accounting records will reflect and describe the nature of the underlying transactions. Money Laundering Deutsche Post DHL complies strictly with laws and regulations designed to combat money laundering activity. This includes those rules and regulations requiring reporting of currency transactions with blocked persons. Our Standard of Working Together Individual Responsibility and Involvement The skills and the commitment of our people are our greatest asset.We expect our employees to conduct their business in an entrepreneurial way and accept their individual responsibility. We strive to involve our colleagues in our projects and decision-making processes in order to achieve our common goals with reliability and commitment. Mutual Respect and Openness All relations between directors, managers and employees of all levels, units and regions shall be guided by mutual respect, openness, honesty and the spirit of trust and cooperation. We give and look for feedback and we comm unicate actively and openly with each other. We are committed to a fair and open debate and seek varying opinions.We motivate our colleagues to speak up promptly and to express their ideas and concerns. Team spirit is triggered by open-mindedness. We therefore support an open door policy and initiatives to share and exchange knowledge. Diversity and Discrimination We see employee diversity as a guiding principle in our employment policy. This means promoting the diversity and heterogeneity of the individuals in the company in order to attain the highest possible productivity, creativity and efficiency. Skills, performance and ethical conduct shall be our only indicators for employee qualification.We will not discriminate or tolerate discrimination with respect to gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or any other characteristic protected under law. Each employee is required to contribute to an environment of respect that precludes any kind of h arassment, including workplace bullying, unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted physical contact, propositions or a working environment poisoned with harassing jokes, words and demeaning comments. Health Management Our employees deserve to work in a safe and healthy environment.We are therefore committed to the workplace health and safety regulations expressed in our health and safety policies. We strive to foster the physical and psychological â€Å"well being† of our employees. Our goals are both fewer illnesses and a lower accident rate. We promote health care as a key element of our sustained productivity and the quality of our services. Our health and safety policies, active in all locations throughout the world, include a ban of illegal drugs in the workplace. We prohibit any kind of violence and assault at the workplace, including threatening and intimidating behavior. Company PropertyThe use of company property, including labor, supplies, equipment, buildings or other as sets for personal benefit is prohibited where not explicitly allowed by agreement. Each employee has a responsibility to safeguard and make proper use of Deutsche Post DHL property. Intellectual property is a valuable asset and must be protected from unauthorized use or disclosure. Such property includes trade secrets, confidential information, copyrights, trademarks, logos, but also customer lists, business opportunities and product specifications, whether owned by Deutsche Post DHL-affiliated companies or business partners.Legal Proceedings Employees must avoid activities that could involve or lead to involvement of Deutsche Post DHL or its personnel in any unlawful practice, including the employment of our personnel or use of company assets for illegal gain. Lawsuits, legal proceedings and investigations concerning Deutsche Post DHL must be handled quickly and properly in order to protect and defend the company. Employees who are threatened by a lawsuit or other legal proceedings or investigation in a business-related matter are required to contact their Deutsche Post DHL Legal Department immediately.Insider Information Any person with inside information is prohibited by law to buy or sell Deutsche Post DHL stock by using this information. Employees are at risk of civil and criminal penalties should they disclose nonpublic information that an investor could use to buy or sell securities. Trading with such information is illegal whether employees trade for their own benefit or others trade for them. Our Business Integrity Shareholders' Trust We recognize the necessity of sound and transparent corporate management to maintain the trust of our shareholders and investors. We are committed to ncreasing shareholder value. Business Partner Dialogue We are committed to dialogue and partnership with our business partners in many communities throughout the world. We share principles of ethical behavior, social engagement and respect for the environment with our suppl iers, subcontractors, agents and consultants. We will communicate our principles to our business partners and motivate them to adhere to the same standards we do. Conflicts of Interest We require all directors, officers and employees to maintain high ethical standards in handling conflicts of interest.They should disclose any relationship with persons or firms with whom we do business (‘Business Partners'), which might give rise to a conflict of interest, to a supervisor. Such relations include in particular a relationship by blood or marriage, partnership, participation or an investment in Business Partners. Fair Competition We are committed to free enterprise and fair competition. Company business must be conducted solely on the basis of merit and open competition. We will hire suppliers, agents or their intermediaries only by fair assessment.We are legally bound to make business decisions in the best interests of the company, independent of any understanding or greement wit h a competitor. As a result, the company and its employees will avoid any conduct that violates or might appear to violate antitrust laws. Bribery and Corruption We trust that the excellence of our services is the key to our business success. Therefore we will deal with all our customers, suppliers and government agencies in a straightforward manner and in compliance with international anti-bribery standards as stated in the Global Compact and local anti-corruption and bribery laws.This includes any transaction that might appear to be arranged for granting concessions or benefits. Gifts and Benefits Employees should not solicit services, gifts, or benefits from customers or suppliers that influence or appear to influence the employee's conduct in representing the company. Gifts and entertainment may be exchanged at a level that does not exceed customary local courtesies extended in accordance with ethical business practices and applicable law.In case of doubt, employees should consu lt with their supervisor or the HR department. Business Secrecy, Data Protection/Privacy Our employees shall not disclose information that is not known to the general public for personal gain or the benefit of anyone other than the company. Such information includes technical data, financial data, operating data, customer information, memoranda and other information regarding the company's business and operational activities and future plans.Employees will adhere to relevant laws and company regulations with respect to personal data, such as data protection guidelines and policies, e. g. DPDHL Privacy Policy for international data transfers. Processing of personal data of natural or where applicable legal persons must be based on legitimate grounds in line with the applicable laws. Our Social Responsibility Communities We are committed to supporting the communities in which we work and recognize the need to contribute to their well-being with our know-how and professional skills.Res pect for and understanding of the different cultures and a sensitive manner of dealing with their key issues is of highest importance to us as it builds trust and credibility within our international environment. We have and will continue to support community development as a sponsor in partnerships with non-government organizations and charities in accordance with our community investment policy. We recognize that we are measured by our actions outside the workplace and therefore call on our employees to respect the local culture and understand the issues of communities where they work.Environment We acknowledge the impact of our business activities on the environment and are committed to improving our environmental track record through precautionary measures and the use of environment-friendly technology. We regularly assess and monitor our impact on the environment. By systematically identifying and leveraging potential ecological initiatives, we strive to support constant improv ement of our environmental performance and the increase of efficiency in our resources. This includes environmental audits and risk management.We want to measure our processes and services against the highest quality standards. National and international environmental standards – such as the ISO 14000 standard series – shall be our guiding principles. As a corporate group, we advocate and support the dissemination of environmentally and socially exacting standards throughout the world. We consider our employees' commitment and active involvement to be an important platform for our efforts and a significant source of innovation.Related Policies and Regulations, Local Codes The Code of Conduct sets the principles for all policies and regulations of Deutsche Post DHL. Local or business-related policies will provide more specific guidance. Divisions, business units, regional entities and companies of Deutsche Post DHL may adopt their own local codes, incorporating the subs tance of the Deutsche Post DHL Code of Conduct but modified to reflect requirements of local laws and regulations or the social customs and characteristics of their business operations.Such local codes may include additional, specific standards. However, in no event will any term contradict or be more lenient than this Deutsche Post DHL Code of Conduct. All local codes shall be reviewed and approved by the Global Compliance Office. Please note the latest versions of the following regulations that complement the Code of Conduct: the anti-corruption and business ethics policy and the competition compliance policy.

How Does the Role of Women Affect the Novel? Essay

In this essay I will be discussing and analysing how the role, or roles, of women affect the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. The novel is set in the 1930’s during ‘The Great Depression’ and features three women: Curley’s wife, who lives on the ranch and is representative of the stereotypical suppressed wife, Susy the brothel owner who represents the role of women as solely sexual objects and whores, and lastly, Aunt Clara – a mother figure to Lennie. These are the three archetypal women in the novel and in this essay I will be evaluating their influence on the novel. It is not immediately apparent that women are not vital to the novel. However, the three women help the reader understand how life was for them. Curley’s wife confuses and plays with Lennie’s immature and insane mind with her flirtatious comments, and seductive body language. ‘She moved closer to him’ suggests their actions became out of control. Curley’s wife could have lived her dream as an actress but instead she stood by Curley, ‘I coulda went with the shows’ Her actions demonstrate her love for Curley at the time and how she gave up her dream for him. Curley’s wife allows us to appreciate the role of women in the novel and women at that time that had to suffer from great loneliness in the ranch, outnumbered by a large number of men. ‘Think I like to stay in that 6 by 4 house listening to Curley?’ Her pitiful relationship with Curley or even the agony of her loneliness results in her playful, engaging behaviour. Curley’s wife 1 resembles the stereotypical wife on a ranch in the 1930’s. Deciding on whether his wife is a tart or victim is significant to understanding the real message behind the novel and enables the reader to understand the role of women on such ranches. Susy is immensely different in contrast to Curley’s wife as she is a working woman, owner of a brothel so she is surrounded by friends of both sexes constantly ‘Old Susy’s a laugh’ Unlike Curley’s wife, Susy isn’t as pivotal to the plot but through her we can see and grasp the typical working woman in the 1930’s furthermore the sexual discrimination suffered where women were valued as mere sexual objects. Aunt Clara presents a completely contrasting character to Curley’s wife and Susy. Firstly she presents herself as maternal character ‘her hands on her hips, and she frowned disapprovingly at him.’ this suggests, Aunt Clara must have looked after Lennie like a mother figure when he was younger. ‘I told you’ This is a demonstration of her guiding influence over Lennie and how she was an important character in his life. Aunt Clara is a typical mother and helps the reader value the role of a mother and how it influences the novel. All three women are crucial in the development of the plot and have a great impact on the reader. Their roles help to raise awareness of the women during the ‘Great Depression.’ Women can be seen in a triad of roles; wife, mother and whore. The novel exposes sexual discrimination, sexism and the hierarchy of male over female on the social ladder.

Controversy of Funding for Education Term Paper

Controversy of Funding for Education - Term Paper Example In most countries, government institutions host most students. This congestion has jeopardized the quality of teaching and, as a result, the students’ performance is extremely poor compared to private schools. The financial investment in education has increased tremendously compared to early times. The increase in expenditure per student has not had clear explanations. There are exceedingly strict deadlines for fee payments and, most students do not manage to pay the fees on time. This has seen most students remain at home due to lack of fees. A critical issue in education finances are misappropriation and embezzlement. The funds are put into many activities and, this leads to mismanagement of the money. On the other hand, there are a lot of education developments that are being carried out. The education sector has developed tremendously despite the alarming financial challenges. Most institutions that provide education have diversified their activities, and this has made the m appear like profit making institutions. The government is not providing enough funding to the education system. (Pillay, 2010) There are many development projects in the country but, surprisingly, very few involve education. There are some exceedingly controversial situations whereby, the government will use money budgeted for the education sector to subsidize other sectors such a health and environmental sectors. For example, this leaves the education sector with a deficit and will not manage to perform all the planned activities. Readers view Although there is a vast investment in education, it the benefits of education can not be underestimated. Students have been performing exceedingly well. This is evident in the many ideas that are emerging from extraordinarily young students. The students have been given an opportunity to explore wide in education to exploit their ability. There have been significant development in the education sector and this is has been as a result of he avy funding. The introduction of free primary education is a chief issue in the education system. Although, there are no enough funds, a lot of students have benefited. The introduction of school feeding students while in school has enabled many students to be comfortable at school. Although the quality of education is not extremely superior, the stakeholders in the education sector should try their best to ensure that there are adequate funds to meet all the needs. The funds in the education sector should be put in the intended purpose. All the money used should be accounted for and any amount that is not used should be returned to the appropriate account. Any person who misappropriates education funds should be forced to refund the money and stringent legal measure should be taken. Government and the education stakeholders should ensure that the teachers are remunerated well and at the right time. Parents and guardians should pay any amount that is asked by the government. This wi ll enable the government cater for the basic needs for the students. The schools should also have clear mode of payment so that students are not out of school because of lack of adequate fees. This amount should be favourable to all people and should be enough to cater for education needs. All the needy students should get financial assistance from the government. The basis of distributing the loans should be dreadfully transparent to avoid bias. This has provided

Housing Market in U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Housing Market in U.S - Essay Example The bubble finally bursts. In housing bubble, very low interest rates and a consequent loosening of credit underwriting standards attract many borrowers in the market. In this case, a decline in demand due to high interest rates and a tightening of credit standards leads to bursting of the bubble. This paper discusses in depth about the rise and fall of the housing market in U.S. and its impact in the society. Scholarly research depicts that an economic bubble is difficult to identify with the exception of in hindsight. However, a number of cultural and economic factors have led to justification of the argument of several economists that a housing bubble existed in the U.S. As an economic bubble, the United States housing bubble grew up alongside the stock bubble in the mid-90s. Usually, low interest always motivates firms to borrow more and invest more. In this case, assets that are more productive match greater indebtedness (Shiller, 2006). However, the U.S housing market interest rates greatly differed with the investment. Although the country’s economy grew, many American families had to borrow more debt to refinance their mortgages and spend some of the proceeds. As long as the housing prices rose due to lower interest rates, the Americans ignored the growing indebtedness. An increase in demand in the supply of housing led to an ultimate increase in price. An incredible increase in price incorporated most affected areas into expectations that made homebuyers pay more than they would have otherwise thus making the expectations self-fulfilling. To attract many people in borrowing more money, credit standards were lowered thus fueling growth in the so-called subprime mortgages. Additionally, new products were invented lowering upfront payments and making it easier for individuals to take bigger mortgages. The biggest problem that arose from these mortgages was that some had negative amortization (Baker, 2002). This is because payments made by some of t he borrowers did not even meet the interest due thus making the debt grow more. By 2002, the housing prices had shoot to nearly 30 percent even after adjusting for inflation. Statistical analysis evidences an impact of housing prices to the housing market upon a speculative bubble rather than the fundamentals. To fuel the housing market, Federal Reserve Board chairperson Alan Greenspan suggested that it was much better for homebuyers to procure houses on flexible rates rather than set rates since this would enable them pay for the house at ease. In 2003, homebuyers had the opportunity to afford larger mortgages due to the adjustable rates that were available at that moment. The lower interest rates hastened the run-up in house prices hence increasing at a supplementary 31.6 percent. On the other hand, the run-ups had predictable effect on savings and consumption. Consumption increased thus lowering the savings rate by 1 percent (Hardaway, 2011). Several factors contributed to the ri se of the housing bubble. One major factor encompasses the desire of people to own too many houses. Many of the Americans despite their incapability of managing many houses went ahead and purchased them rather than renting houses, which is alternatively cheaper. Buying the houses for speculation rather than shelter was another insight to housing bubble. Due to the wealth possessed by most of the Americans, they decided to

How parental depression impact on thier teeenage children between the Dissertation

How parental depression impact on thier teeenage children between the ages of 15-19 years - Dissertation Example Living with someone who has a disease that changes their perception of reality can exhaust a family, leaving the development of children, particularly in their teen years, without a stable foundation. With a disease that is defined by its condition as a mental disease, a child may have to deal with additional feelings of guilt and shame, their lives becoming about the secret of mother or father’s illness. This study was conducted using relevant literature, both primary resources and secondary literature in order to frame the conclusion to the questions posed by the work. Through a qualitative approach, the relevant literature is examined for the experience that has been present in the human condition concerning the incidence of mental illness. Through understanding this experience, the researcher can come to conclusions based upon an understanding of the concept that stretches beyond that which can be quantified. Chapter One Introduction As a child, the development of curiosit y for this condition in parents came from exposure to a friend whose mother suffered from deep bouts of depression. Knowing this girl from the age of eight through high school made a deep impression about the concept of the disease that her mother seemed to suffer from through long torturous months of unpredictable days for this child. The girl, who may or may not have been similarly afflicted, displayed a series of behaviours that were curious and encouraged a need to find an understanding for what she was going through at the time. She horded large amounts of food in her locker at school, always afraid she would go home and have nothing to eat. She gained large amounts of weight, only to lose the same until she was thin as bone. She also began to cut herself when she was sixteen, a secret that was never revealed to any adult. The level of secrecy that her life held and the ways in which she expressed her own anxiety created a high level of curiosity about how much her motherâ€⠄¢s mental disease was affecting her life in comparison to any disease that she might have had on her own. The actions that were in rebellion to her own situation, hording food until it sat in piles of mold in her locker, in comparison to her acts of cutting her skin always created wonder at her own levels of depression, whether from an inherited condition, or from her exposure to behaviours of depression as they were exhibited by her mother. In this qualitative study, the research will be gathered through an investigation of secondary research and primary resource literature in order to understand the historical understanding of depression and the stigma that the disease has developed within society. While society tends to have a compassion for those who are afflicted with depression, there is still a pervasive opinion that it is merely a sadness, a disease that could be controlled if the afflicted would just try harder to not be afflicted. This creates a stigma that proposes that secrecy and silence rule within a family where one of the parents suffers

Iron Deficiency Anemia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Iron Deficiency Anemia - Essay Example The article encompasses information about causes, symptoms and treating iron deficiency anemia. The body needs iron to make hemoglobin, the most important component of the red blood cells. Insufficient supply of iron limits the production of hemoglobin, which in turn affects the production of red blood cells (RBCs). This decreased amount of hemoglobin and RBCs in the bloodstream is known as anemia. Since, RBCs are needed to carry oxygen throughout the body, anemia results in less oxygen reaching the cells and tissues, affecting their function (AMAG Pharmaceuticals). Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA), often caused by inadequate iron ingestion. It is the major cause of anemia in childhood. Iron-fortified infant formulas and cereals have substituted the iron requirement in infants of United States (American Reagent). IDA or Iron-deficiency anemia doesn't develop instantly, but, a person develops through stages of iron deficiency, beginning with iron diminution, in which the amount of iron in the body is reduced while the iron in RBCs remains constant, persistence of this leads to progression of iron deficiency, ultimately leading to IDA. This is because the red blood cells will have less hemoglobin than normal (AMAG Pharmaceuticals,). Iron-deficiency anemia is a resultant of several factors, encompassing- insufficient iron in the diet, poor absorption of iron by the body, ongoing blood loss, most commonly from menstruation or from gradual blood loss in the intestinal tract, episodes of rapid growth. In certain cases poverty becomes a contributing factor to IDA because families living at or below the poverty level may not be getting enough iron-rich foods (Gasch,, 1997). It is manifested that Iron deficiency alters the physiological functions and IDA enables the body to absorb more lead, which enhances the risk of lead poisoning in kids, particularly those living in older homes. This leads to ill health and also children face difficulties in learning and show behavioral problems. Moreover, rapid growth demands more iron and therefore any kind of iron deficiency in nutrition leads to IDA. It is observed that, infants, discontinuing iron-fortified formula and substituted with cow's milk before 12 months can lead to IDA. Since, cow's milk is low in iron essential for infant growth and development; it often replaces the consumption of iron-rich foods. Milk reduces the absorption of iron causing irritation in the intestinal mucosa resulting in small amounts of bleeding. This slow, gradual loss of blood in the stool - combined with low iron intake - may eventually result in IDA (US FDA). Other causes of IDA encompass prematurity and low birth weight, poor iron intake in the diet for children between the ages of 1 and 3 years make them prone to IDA, high consumption of cow's milk, during the onset of puberty, when growth is at its peak, boys are at risk of IDA. Adolescent girls are at higher risk because of menstrual blood loss and smaller iron stores than boys. Many girls also tend to consume a diet low in iron. On the contrary, multivitamins with iron aren't adequate and taking too much iron is a major cause of serious poisoning in children (American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP). Deficiency of Vitamin C also leads to poor iron absorption leading to IDA as vitamin C enhances iron absorption in the body. Inadequate daily intake of iron in pregnancy, growth

Wegmans culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wegmans culture - Essay Example As culture determines the way of life existent within in a society, it also serves to determine the methods under which daily operations are carried out in any given company around the world, no matter how big or small they may be. In order to illustrate this important principle, this paper will take a look at the Wegmans corporation. The companies mission, values, and corporate culture will be analyzed and explained. Wegmans dates way back to 1916, when John Wegman opened the Fruit and Vegetable company in Rochester, New York. With his brother joining him a year later, this was truly a family oriented business that has withstood the test of time. The company has a long and proud history trough the Northeastern United States, as stores have been opened throughout New York State, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, among others. Entering into the 21st Century, Wegmans had risen to the level of being recognized as one of the top 100 best companies to work for in the United States, demonstrating their commitment to treeing all employees like members of the family (Wegmans 2013). Most notably, Wegmans is noted to be a regional supermarket chain in the United States, and has become one of the largest private companies in all of America. From its inception, the management of the corporation has focused on creating a supermarket that is known to provide an enhanced shopping experience when compared to competitors. They do this by striving to provide better quality good, with an abundance of different choices for the consumer, and by making available truly restaurant quality prepared food that shoppers can take home to their families. In addition, all stores are kept beautiful and modern, employees receive tremendous training in corporate culture in order to provide ready and knowledgeable assistance to all shoppers that come through the doors. While prices have

Consumer Behaviour Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Behaviour Report - Assignment Example Literature Review The main objective of marketing is to understand and satisfy the needs satisfy the needs and demands of the target market customers. The field of consumer behaviour studies the way groups, individuals and even organizations select, buy use, and dispose products or services. The study of consumer behaviour was a relatively new field of study till the mid 1960s (Bagozzi, Gopinath and Nyer, 1999). During that time the study of consumer behaviour did not have any history or body of research (Hines, Hungerford and Tomera, 1987). But then new disciplines were borrowed from various fields and disciplines of management science such as sociology, social psychology and anthropology. Consumer behaviour can be stated as the choice making process as well as physical activity that an individual engages in while acquiring, evaluating or disposing of goods as well as services (Balderjahn, 1988). The study of consumer behaviour and marketing go along parallel. A sound understanding of consumer behaviour is very important to the success of any marketing program. As a matter of fact the study of consumer behaviour is perceived as a corner stone of the overall marketing concept. The study of consumer behaviour has had major impact on the marketing strategies of a company. Study of consumer behaviour helps a company to understand the needs and wants of the customers (Stone and Gronhaug, 1993). Study of consumer behaviour helps marketers to select the target market segment having distinct set of needs and demands. It also helps the marketer to decide upon the marketing mix such as the product, price, place and promotion (Cesi and Olson, 1988). The study and knowledge of consumer behaviour is also quite important for the marketing of non-profit organizations such as hospitals, voluntary agencies. Various non- profit social agencies could be viewed as the sender of ideas looking to target groups of customers. Such organizations also include red-cross blood society (E dell and Burke, 1987). With respect to the present study one of the most important aspects would be the various factors influencing the consumer behaviour. It includes cultural, social, personal, psychological factors (Richins, 1997). The cultural factors include culture which is the most fundamental determinant of the behaviour of a person. Each culture has a set of subculture that consists of relatively smaller subcultures. Social classes are the relatively homogenous divisions of society that are hierarchical in nature. The social factors include reference groups and family (Andreasen, 2002). The reference group of a person include all the groups and individuals that have a direct or in direct influence on the individual. It could include celebrities endorsing product or even the peers and the friends of an individual (Burke and Edell, 1989). The family is also one of the most important parts of the overall consumer behaviour as a person mostly adopts the set of values and attitu des from family only. The personal factors include age, occupation, Economic circumstances, life style and personality of an individual. Psychological factors include motivation, perception, Beliefs, Attitudes, and Learning. Just like the factors influenci

The importance of Hydrogen Bonding in Biology Essay

The importance of Hydrogen Bonding in Biology - Essay Example The atom that covalently links to the hydrogen is the hydrogen bond donor and the other atom represent the hydrogen bond acceptor. These atoms have lone pair of electrons and a negative partial charge that enable them form this bond with hydrogen. Orphardt explains that hydrogen carries a partial positive charge. The formation of a hydrogen bond requires that hydrogen get attracted to an atom that has a partial negative charge. Orphardt explains that hydrogen bond is a directional bond this means the strength of a hydrogen bond relies on its alignment with two electronegative atoms (Orphardt, 2003). Hydrogen Bonding in Water Hydrogen bond is important in that it determines the physical and chemical properties of polar substances for example water. Water has a simple molecular structure consisting of two hydrogen atoms and the atom of oxygen. The hydrogen atoms covalently bond with the oxygen atom. The oxygen atom contains two lone pairs of electrons. The partial positive charge prese nt on the hydrogen atom together with the partial negative charge present on the oxygen atom gives water its polar characteristic. This attractive force between the oxygen atom and the hydrogen atoms result in the formation of a hydrogen bond. The polarity of water makes it a good solvent it allows polar substances and ions to dissolve in water. The polarity in water allows high cohesive force to exist in water molecules. One water molecule can form a hydrogen bond with other four water molecules. The high cohesion between water molecules allows water to be drawn up the xylem vessels in plants Hydrogen bonds bind water molecules together constantly form and break; therefore, changing the temperature of water requires the constant addition or removal of heat. This makes water have a high specific heat capacity water and favourable in preventing temperature changes in the body. The hydrogen bonds in water are responsible for the high surface tension in water. The hydrogen bonds hold w ater molecules tightly at the surface. This allows dense substances to float in water and for insects to walk on water Hydrogen Bonding in DNA Structure The hydrogen bonds determine and stabilize the structure of macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids. The hydrogen bond is responsible for holding together the three-dimensional structures of proteins and DNA. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for formation of biological structures such as double helix DNA strand. The hydrogen bond plays a critical role in ensuring the DNA structure is stable. Hydrogen bonding in a DNA structure is the chemical interaction responsible for base pairing. Arnold states that hydrogen bond holds together the double helix structure. The base pairs in DNA and RNA strands are connected by hydrogen bonds. The DNA molecule consists of four bases cytosine, guanine, thymine, and adenine. The DNA double helix structure has two polynucleotide strands that are intertwined together. The DNA structure is very sta ble because of DNA base pairs arrangement, which allows the interaction of the bases (Arnold, 2009). Hydrogen bonding is significant in holding together the polynucleotide strands of DNA. An adenine on one-strand pairs with a thymine base on the other strand and a guanine pairs with cytosine. Arnold describes that the stability of a double helix DNA strand is due to the internal and external hydrogen bonds existing between the complementary nucleotide base pairs. Arnold

Wangari Maathai Essay Essay Example for Free

Wangari Maathai Essay Essay Throughout history many people have devoted their life to promoting and protecting people’s human rights. One of whom was Wangari Maathai. She devoted her life towards bettering the environment of her native land, Kenya. Maathai was an environmentalist who developed the Greenbelt Movement. She was also known as a women’s rights advocate and she received many awards. Some of which were the Nobel peace prize in 2004, legion d’Honneur, France’s highest award in 2006 and in 2005 she was named one 100 most powerful women by Forbes Magazine. Some of the women in Kenya started to notice that the quality and quantity of their crops was going down due to environmental damage. One of those women was Wangari Maathai. She decided to try and help to fix the damage that had been done. Maathai did many things to improve the environment, one of which was founding the greenbelt movement. The green belt movement is an organization that promotes and awards the planting of â€Å"green belts† to stop soil erosion, provide shade and create a source of lumber and fire wood. Started on earth day in 1977 the movement has since planted over 15 million trees, produced income for 80 thousand people in Kenya alone, and has expanded its efforts to over 30 African countries, the U.S., and Haiti. Maathai was a very influential woman. Her success made a huge impact in the world. Through the greenbelt movement the vegetation in Africa greatly improved. This method then spread throughout the world. The impact Maathai had on the world will never be forgotten.

Evaluate factors that influenced the effectiveness of each interaction Essay Example for Free

Evaluate factors that influenced the effectiveness of each interaction Essay In this piece of coursework I will be analysing and evaluating the factors that influence the effectiveness of each interaction in relation to the one to one set at a GP’s for a patient that has really bad back pains and is complaining about how sharp the pain is. I based the one to one interaction on a patient with back problems and they’ve come to the GP’s for something to be given to them. I thought of this because it’s something I went through and I thought it would be nice to let people know what process I went through and how hard it was. The first factor, I thought that influenced the one to one interaction was the patient and doctor taking turns while talking and not interrupting. Turn taking is a major factor that involves our everyday lifestyle and it’s helpful because you know you will get a turn at having your own say. Turn taking helps out a lot especially if you are with younger children or at a GP. For example, the patient came to her doctor and she told her doctor what was wrong with her and how much she’s in pain, the doctor listened to her while she was talking and didn’t ask questions until she finished talking then, the doctor answered all her questions and asked her own questions trying to figure out what was wrong about that patient and what actions will need to be taken for the patient to feel better. Towards the end the doctor referred the patient to her local hospital for an x-ray to see what’s going on. What’s good about turn taking is that everyone listens to each other and you don’t get interrupted also you know you’ll have enough time to talk while others have a chance to think about questions to ask you. The second factor I realised that influenced the one to one interaction was listening. Listening is letting people talk and you concentrating on just what they are saying, listening is a very important communication skill because if you don’t listen you may misunderstand something which may leads you to thinking differently and feeling insecure. Read more: Describe factors which may influence children’s development essay Listening was one factor that influenced the one to one interaction because if one of us didn’t listen while the other person was talking we may have not heard what they were saying or concentrated enough to understand what they were saying which can lead to giving wrong answers which could be a problem to the persons health that’s why when others are talking you always have to listen. For example, in the one to one interaction Emily was my partner and she helped me concentrate listening to  her because little things distract me easily so I had to make sure I listened to her also, we had our script which was used as a prop if we missed out something we carried on listening to each other while looking at what was said to not give the wrong answer. We listened to each other because we knew how important listening is and we were successful at getting through the one to one interaction without not knowing what was going on because we listened to each other. The third factor that also had an influence on the one to one interaction was respect towards each other. Respecting each other shows you give them pride and you are happy about what they are saying or doing also, respect comes from learning to care about people from older ages because we have to respect people to get along with life if we don’t respect then there could be consequences. Respect is very important because we all have to respect everyone no matter what their race, gender, age or features are we have to because we live in a society that moves with respect. For example, if we didn’t respect the army that looks after the country for losing their lives to make the world a much happier place and for us to be safe then that will be a major consequence because what’s the point of those people dying for us if we can’t have a little respect for them. The reason why I thought respect had a influence in the one to one interaction was because if we didnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t respect each other we wouldn’t have been able to understand each other and we wouldn’t have been able to do the doctor and patient script because a doctor always has to respect their patients no matter what happens they have to so does the patient too. An example of this would be, when the patient walked into the room I felt the respect from the patient by the way they answered me and facial expressions. This had a big impact on the interaction because it made it less awkward to talk with the patient and not only was the patient comfortable with asking questions to do with her illness but as a doctor being able to have enough respect from a patient to ask them what areas of the back hurts and being able to have a look at the patients back to check what’s wrong. The last factor that had an influence on the interaction was how professional I was. Being professional can be difficult because if you’ve always been in an environment that’s unprofessional and you don’t know where to use what language that can be an issue. So being professional was key in this interaction because I was a person that had a reputation,  that had power to help people and look after them. If I didn’t act professional the patient could have not taken me serious but I did. The reason why being professional was an influence in the interaction because I realised the more professional you are no matter where you are you will always be looked up to and that’s why I thought it was an influence because it made the patient feel secure with me, it made the patient understand no matter what happens I will always be supporting the patient which would make both of us happy. For example, the minute the patient knocked on the door I dropped everything I was doing and stood up and shock the hand then I made the patient feel welcomed and asked how they were then they started explaining what the problem was and the actions I was doing showed I was professional.

Utilizing Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy Strand

Utilizing Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy Strand I tried to maintain the story in following order: General background on steel MFRs before Northridge earthquake What happened after Northridge Earthquake and still what are the problems remaining? What are the approaches taken to solve the problem? Concept of Post tensioned connection Studies on PT connection with steel Alternative to steel strand (previous studies on SMA strand). Objective of this study. Feasibility study of utilizing superelastic shape memory alloy strand in post tensioned steel beam column connections for improved seismic performance Introduction: During the 1960s, welded steel beam-column connections were considered to be the most ductile system against earthquake. Therefore, a number of industrial and commercial buildings were constructed in the western part of united states at that time.   However, the Northridge earthquake of January 14, 1994, indicated that welded connections are susceptible to brittle fracture at the beam-to-column joints. This failure mode was observed even for structures subjected to a moderate level of ground shaking. Although, these buildings didnt collapse (which is desired by the building code), the connection behavior was not as expected. Further investigation revealed that similar damage was observed in a limited number of buildings during 1992 Landers, 1992 Big Bear and 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (FEMA-350). Studies have been carried out to investigate the reasons behind it. Based on the investigation, significant design changes was implemented to the pre-Northridge moment resisting frame des igns (Engelhardt and Sabol, 1997). Post-Northridge structures are designed in such a way that it is still expected to sustain damage during severe earthquake but without affecting the life safety limit (Chancellor et al. 2014). Residual deformation that may exist after the earthquake can require expensive repair works and in some cases the demolition of total structures. Depending on the scenario, the total cost of demolition or repair work can be a burden to the overall economy of a country. An example can be the earthquake of magnitude 6.5 that occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand in May 2014. The repair works required 40$ billion (New Zealands dollar) which was approximately 20% of the total GDP of the country. In another study, McCormick et al. (2008) showed that the repair of structures with residual drift greater than 0.005 rad is not economically feasible. Conventional moment resisting frames are designed to resist collapse by using the inelastic properties of nonreplaceable elements. Therefore, these systems can dissipate energy during large inelastic deformation but unable to recover the residual deformation. In this regard, research has been done to improve the performance by introducing reduced beam section (RBS) (Tremblay and Filiatrault, 1997), connection reinforced with cover plates (Engelhardt and Sabol, 1997), haunches (Uang et al. 2000), and side plates (Shiravand and Deylami, 2010). However, the existence of residual deformation after severe earthquake is still possible. To address this above mentioned issues, a new class of lateral force resisting system has been developed which can sustain severe earthquake with little or no residual deformation. This smart structure can return to its plumb position after load removal (herein referred to as a full self-centering), without any residual deformation. This new system is termed as post tensioned (PT) steel moment resisting frames. In this system, beams are post tensioned to the columns, which run parallel to the beams and pass through the column flanges, are used to provide self-centering to the moment resisting frames (Moradi and Alam, 2015). The reduction of residual displacement in PT connection is controlled by a gap opening mechanism.   Due to the gap opening between steel column and beams, a significant reduction in stiffness occurs, which is desirable. As the decrease in stiffness attracts less force to the connection (i.e. softening occurs without structural damage) by lengthening the structur al period (Chancellor et al. 2014). Past few years, several researchers have investigated and still investigating the seismic performance of self-centering steel moment resisting frames. Ricles et al. (2002), experimentally investigated the self-centering behavior of steel PT connection on five cruciform shaped specimens. The results showed that steel PT connection sustain small residual deformation compared to the conventional welded connection. Further study based on several affecting parameters such as flange reinforcing plate, shim plate, number of PT strand, angle size, and gage length are considered by Garlock et al. 2003, 2005. The effect of floor diaphragm on the self-centering behavior of steel moment resisting frames were investigated by Garlock et al. (2007). A performance based design guideline for self-centering PT connection was also outlined. In design procedure, the interaction between the floor system and the self-centering PT connection was considered. Dobossy et al. (2006) proposed a method for asses sing structural limit state probabilities for a self-centering frame (with top-and-seat angles). Monte Carlo simulation was used for generating demand curves. The possibility of exceeding a limit state at each floor of the structure was determined based on the demand and capacity curves.   Herning et al. (2011) used a reliability based method to evaluate the likelihood of reaching the limit state of PT strand yielding. A predictive relationship between the beam-column relative rotation and the story drift was proposed. Based on the results, the response of three nonlinear models of prototype self-centering frames was found to be adequate to thousands of synthetic ground motions. The probability of reaching the limit state of strand yielding ranged from 0 to 15%. The self-centering capability of PT connection can also be improved by using smart materials such as shape memory alloys (SMAs). Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) is a class of equiatomic metal showing mechanical properties not present in materials usually employed in engineering application (Fugazza, 2003). In most cases NiTi is referred to as a shape memory alloy. But some other alloys show the same characteristics of NiTi alloy. If not stated otherwise, NiTi will be used as SMA throughout this paper. The importance of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) in civil engineering application is increasing rapidly due to its capability of large strain recovery, absence of residual strain upon unloading and high energy dissipation ability. This exceptional property can be used in post tensioned steel beam column connection. The idea of implementing shape memory alloy on post tensioned connection has already been investigated by a number of previous studies. Ocel et al. 2004 considered two partially restraine d (PR) connection to investigate their performance during static and cyclic loading. Martensitic phase (Shape memory effect) was used in both connection. The tested connection was capable of dissipating large energy without any strength degradation up to a drift level of 4%. Using SMA tendons, about 54% and 76% of the beam tip displacement was recovered with or without simulated dead loads, respectively. Ma et al. (2007) presented a highly ductile steel beam column connection by using shape memory alloy bolt. The bolts shanks are 1.2 times longer than the conventional steel bolt. These bolts provide the ductility to the connection by absorbing inelastic deformation. After the deformation phase, it can regain its original shape by recovering 94% of the total deformation. Desroches et al. (2010) studied the behavior of shape memory alloy (SMA) on both austenite and martensite phase. The superelastic SMA bars were found to be responsible for reducing the residual deformation and marten sitic bars were efficient in controlling peak deformations. Ellingwood et al. (2010) evaluated the performance of steel frames with or without SMA connections based on probabilistic framework. Four interior steel beam column connection incorporating different types of SMA (i.e. martensitic NiTi and austenite NiTi) and steel tendon, were investigated by Speicher et al. (2011).   The connection incorporating superelastic NiTi alloy was able to recover up to 85% of its deformation after being loaded upto 5% drift. The objective of this study can be categorized in two phase. In phase one, an attempt has been made to reduce the strand length of existing PT connection without affecting the performance of the connection. In parallel to this study, the objective of phase two was to use shape memory alloy with reduced length. A recent study done by Chowdhury et al. (2017) show that the reduction of PT strand length directly affect the stiffness, strength and moment capacity. Besides, PT connection loses self-centering capability due to the yielding of steel strand. This is due to the high stress concentration in steel and its low strain capacity. In this regard, shape memory alloy can be an efficient alternative due to its large strain capability (recoverable strain up to 8% for NiTi). The cost of NiTi alloy is a major concern during its application. Therefore, reduced strand length will reduce the cost without affecting performance.

Breaking Down Barriers with Positive Feedback Essay -- Education Feedb

Breaking Down Barriers with Positive Feedback Each one of you is faced with the challenge of giving feedback each day. Whether it is on a stimulating topic in class or something as simple as telling a friend whether or not you like the outfit that they have on, giving feedback is something that everyone has had experience with. However trivial this process may seem, it is imperative that one understands its importance. This semester I took a course called En101, or College Writing. In this class we are required to give feedback on essays and articles. Giving negative feedback is often easier than giving positive feedback. In fact, most people would probably admit that giving positive feedback is very difficult for them. The same things applies in my College Writing class. Most students find that the most difficult thing to do in this class is to give feedback without saying something negative. However, we all have to learn how to give positive feedback, or be prepared to face the consequences. For instance, imagine what woul d happen if your best friend asked you whether or not he had a good chance of dating a girl that you know. If you laugh in his face, he may never speak to you again, and if he is really sensitive and truly values your opinion, he may never date again. Okay, so this example may seem a little extreme, but have you ever sat down and really considered the effect that your words may have on someone? Perhaps now is the time to do so. If you are someone that has no idea how feedback can truly affect a single person's ideas or feelings, I invite you to sit in on my eight o'clock morning class for College Writing. As the students shuffle in, half asleep, a few nervous classmates sit quietly at their desk... ...sten to you. Once you begin with a negative comment, it is difficult to repair the damage. It is even more difficult for the people that have gone through life not really understanding how to give feedback correctly. However, maybe these people can surprise everyone by learning how to give positive feedback. It is amazing how much a nice comment can mean to someone, especially authors. After all, authors are very sensitive people. They have worked hard on creating their paper, and generally do not like to hear negative things about it. However, when you phrase your comments just right and create a positive atmosphere, you will be surprised at the difference. So as you move on to read another essay or go meet a friend consider the power of your words. And if your friend really has no chance in dating that girl, find a better way to say that than laughing in his face.

The Case for Torture :: Michael Levin Ethics

I seek to provide an analysis on Michael Levin's article on "The Case for Torture." This article mainly articulates that the use of torture is necessary in order to safeguard the lives of the many innocents and is justifiable. In his given example, he argues that the mass murder of millions of innocent people by a terrorist justifies the use of torture to stop such an extreme barbaric act. Indeed this is a question of moral on the action of inflicting pain. Take a look at the scenario of a war. We will never say that it is immoral to let out soldiers kill or inflict pain on the enemies in a war because we know that it is the only way to safeguard our nation's sovereignty and the lives of our people. The motives are very clear as mentioned. Thus it is justifiable to let our soldiers kill those who intended to harm the lives of our citizens. When a terrorist has clearly intended to harm the lives of millions, why is it not justified then, to inflict pain on the terrorist, with the mot ive of wanting to protect the lives of many more innocent people? Surely it is! Take a look at this argument: Constitution seeks to protect the interest of one's rights. To torture a person is to breach that protection of interest. Therefore, Torture is unconstitutional. Torturing is however, unconstitutional only when the motives behind it are deemed reasonably immoral. We should then of course not inflict pain mainly just to force the other party to confess the truth to a matter if he does not wish to. But what if the truth will then lead to the location of say, a timed-bomb, which will then be diffused in time to prevent an entire office block to collapse, bringing with it a thousand or more lives? Should the constitution then continue to protect the terrorist against such torture? The author said that millions of lives outweigh constitutionality. Surely it is not justiable for a constitution to uphold the rights of a terrorist, but at the expense of the thousands that, t oo, holds the right to live never asked to be placed in such danger. Again, the moral of one's action must be reviewed in such cases. On a personal note, I feel that to sacrifice one that is convicted, in exchanged for the many innocents, is a permissible one.

walmart :: essays research papers

Wal-Mart’s everyday low prices gives an edge over other retailers. †¢ Efficient IT infrastructure enables to smoothen inbound and outbound logistics. †¢ Distribution efficiencies reduces the dependency on the suppliers inefficiencies. †¢ Wide range of products provides customer anything and everything under one roof. †¢ Current dominating market position gives advantage in market development and penetration. †¢ economies of scale of scale Weaknesses- †¢ The weakness is that their overhead is expensive to run store facilities all over the world. †¢ Hierarchical corporate structure may impair decision-making. †¢ In an attempt to succeed by means of low prices, may possibly portray Walmart as a cheap store. †¢ Market maturing †¢ Concentration in a low margin industry †¢ †¢ Zoning issues are the store real estate problems. Just because a company has the ability to build a huge store anywhere it wants to, it does not necessarily mean that it is possible to build one anywhere it wants to. The real estate issue becomes more evident in crowded cities such as Japan where there is a major concern over the availability of real estate. Opportunities †¢ Expansion into emerging International markets †¢ Societal trend towards environmental friendly and American –made products †¢ Move toward value for money products in the slower economic growth Threats- †¢ Even though Wal-Mart is the largest retailer and most successful, they can still be threatened by many factors ranging from their main competitors, environmental, and economic factors. †¢ In many places in USA, Wal-Mart has faced the Anti Wal-Mart activists. According to them having Wal-Mart in the neighborhood kills the local retailers, increases the property taxes to pay for sewage, roads, utilities, and sidewalks. †¢ Regulations and political stability in the international markets †¢ Exchange rate fluctuations †¢ A union problem for ex.Germany has one of the highest degrees of unions and this has a profound effect on hiring, retaining, and laying off employees. Once an employee is hired, it costs more in Germany to keep the employee on payroll and to lay off the employee. German workers are one of the highest paid workers in the world. †¢ Capital intensive for expansion †¢ Challenges The main challenge for Walmart in the years to come is to make sure they continue to keep their customer’s and associates satisfied. In addition, to be a profitable corporation for their investors who own stock in Walmart.

Ben & Jerry’s Company Analysis †Short Essay

Companies like Ben & Jerry’s could definitely be affected by high inflation because of the consumer spending. When the consumers are forced to pay higher prices for products or services that are a necessity, they cut back on products or services that are a luxury. Luxuries that are not a necessity to live like gasoline for vehicles or gas to heat homes or even food will not be bought. Any company that sells a luxury item that is not a necessity to live can be affected by high inflation. With inflation, the price of everything goes up. With that said, the price for companies to buy supplies goes up, meaning that in order to cover their overhead, they will need to find a way to make that money back which could mean layoffs or raising the price of their goods or products. In a recession, companies like Ben & Jerry’s could also face the possibility of being negatively affected because of the demand of consumers. Very much like inflation, recession has the same effect; the consumers do not want to spend their money on luxury items. With the recession, there are more people unemployed who are just barely getting by, therefore, will refuse to spend any money on something that does not decide whether they have a home or not, which includes a luxury item like ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s could also be affected because of their stock prices. During a recession, the price of stock usually declines. So, their revenue would be affected as well as their stock, which would result in bad overall performance of the company. Speaking from personal experience, any luxury item that I absolutely do not need, I do not buy. I simply cannot put myself in a position to not pay a bill because I want to â€Å"treat† myself. With all this said, Ben & Jerry’s provides a reasonably priced luxury item that I would consider a â€Å"feel-good† luxury item. Everyone loves ice cream, young and old. Consumers still need to have a quality of life with the changing economic conditions and if buying an affordable luxury item gives them that, they are going to splurge and buy it. Unlike other luxury items, such as getting clothing and spa appointments, the consumer still gets to feel good and not go broke. Ben & Jerry’s makes a one of a kind product, their flavored ice cream, which makes it an easy buying decision for the consumer. The text book also explains that McDonald’s is not hit as sensitive to the economic conditions for the same reason. Their food is reasonably priced and the consumer still gets to feel like they are â€Å"treating† themselves to restaurant food without breaking the bank. Ben & Jerry’s has social, product and economic condition missions that make them popular in their industry. Not only do they care about making a profit, but they care about their people, environment and planet. They have mission statements for each of these and they follow through. As a consumer, I would rather buy my luxury item from a company that cares about something other than making a buck like their competitors. They make their ice cream to support causes like the recent Imagine Whirled Peace flavor that hosted a competition and donated money to them to support their peace cause. They also have a foundation that gives grants to non-profit organizations that are working for progressive social change. They hold fund-raisers and rally days. They provide hope, awareness and celebration. They also use naturally and humanly produced ingredients as part of one of their missions as well, which is something that would usually increase the price of any products, but with this company, it is just part of their offering. All in all, they provide more than just ice cream to the consumers which makes them less vulnerable to the economic shocks.

Blue Remembered Hills Essay

The plot and background Set in the West country (Devonshire/Cornwall) in 1943, the playwright Dennis Potter explores the traumatic childhoods of 7 young children. Originally written for television in 1979, the play follows seven 7 year olds through an actual day of their lives. As the play takes place in ‘real time’ the whole thing is naturalistic and there are no non naturalistic techniques such as flashbacks or other theatrical devices to skip to different times. The play is set in a barn, a wood and a field on a summer’s afternoon. Over the two hour period the friends play and squabble, particularly victimizing a boy whom they call ‘Donald Duck’, the play climaxes when this character is left out of games and activities by his peers and therefore decides to play his own game†¦ a game of pyromania! Characters As I said earlier the play is ‘totally’ naturalistic, however there is one significant exception: the playwright Dennis Potter insisted that adult actors were cast to portray the children. He thought that if children were used the audience would lose the ‘true meaning’ of the story within the sympathy that they would feel for the child actors. The Boys John: Looks after Raymond, fair-minded, often challenges Peter. Peter: Bully, very strong, is not very clever. Raymond: Has a stutter, very gentle and sensitive, is dressed as a cowboy. Willie: Intelligent and he uses this to overcome Peter’s bullying, is easy going The Girls Angela: Very bossy, pretty and very flirtatious for a seven year old, very self-centered. Audrey: Always trying to be Angela’s friend, very plain, overshadowed by Angela. The victim Donald Duck: Boys don’t like him very much, girls allow him to play ‘house’ with them. Very lonely as everyone taunts and bullies him. He is abused. Important hidden characters Wallace Wilson: class bully, hear lots about him but never actually see him. Donald Ducks mother: Abuses him, plays part towards Donald’s depression and pyromania. Adult Actors Dennis Potter decided that for his play he wanted to cast adult actors to play the parts of the children, mainly because of the audience’s reaction to the plot. He felt that the audience would lose the ‘true meanings’ of the play, as they would sympathize with child actors. Potter took into consideration how child behavior differentiates when being watched by an audience, whereas adults would truthfully portray their emotions. My opinion In my opinion I think that Dennis Potters casting choice was a very bad decision. I see the play as more of a ‘joke’ than a serious piece of drama. The adult actors do not resemble children, but instead adults with mental difficulties, because of this I believe ‘Potter’ has done exactly what he wanted to avoid and took the ‘true meaning’ out of the play. Lesson 1 In our first lesson we began by exploring playing children, from womb to 2 years old. We turned off the lights to focus on the themes of loneliness and to focus on actually developing in the mother’s womb. I began in a tucked shape as foetus’ do we then turned the light on to represent the birth. From this point we were babies and infants developing gradually from 0-2 yrs. Examples of body language awareness Fetus: still, in a tucked position. Newborn: slight movement of limbs- visual and audio only. 3 months: As above, slight movement of head- side to side to explore surroundings – visual and audio only. 6-9 months: As above, able to roll over slightly-visual audio and kinesthetic. 12-18 months: Able to lift head alone and support self. Movement of all body parts now occurring – visual, audio and kinesthetic. 18-24 months: crawling to explore surroundings kinesthetically; Using objects to pull selves up. It is at this age we felt that we would be capable of interacting with other actors, by both voice and body language. I and Connie chose to play typical childhood activities (clapping games and pulling hair) and squabbling. We then continued our childhood explorations by spontaneously improvising a classroom scene. My drama teacher acted as a year 3 teacher and my peers and I as the year 3 class. We all interacted well with each other creating stereotypical characters and situations Our task was to build a ‘den’ in competition with the other team. We used stacked staging to act as a tower and I played a princess. We chose a fairytale scenario to portray childhood imagination. This also helped us maintain high energy levels which are compulsory for playing children. We used appropriate vocabulary such as ‘founded that firsted tho’ and ‘you are the bestest’ to show the simplicity of children’s language at 7 years old. We improvised arguments with both our own group and our opponents over props and spacing. We also chose to incorporate a fairytale storyline into it and take an opponent from the other team hostage. We also showed how our moods changed quickly e.g. falling out and then making up again. As I was acting I could find many similarities in my own and others performances in comparison to ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ characters. Hayley(me): Very similar to Angela. I remained seated at the top of our pretend towers dishing orders out and generally being very bossy. I also portrayed her flirtatious side by settling a row between 2 boys over who would be my prince â€Å"why don’t you both be princes then you can both kiss me!† This links to Angela because she is also very bossy and flirtatious. Warren: very similar to Raymond. He stayed well away from the arguments and instead chose to play alone with his pretend guns. Sophie: very similar to Audrey. Backed up everything I said (Angela). Held doll when I was climbing etc. Wanted attention constantly. Evaluation I think my performance as a 7 year old was well thought through. I used appropriate body language (free and wild) and voice (high pitched and squeaky) to portray my desired character. I think my performance was strongly influenced by my 7 year old brother and 5 year old sister. I managed to keep in role by keeping my energy levels high to feel more like my character. I enjoyed this performance even though I normally dislike spontaneous improvisation tasks. I learnt how important it is to keep up energy levels and momentum when performing as children, I strongly believe that this performance has helped me get the feel and prepare for childhood performances in the Blue Remembered Hills scenes. Lesson 2 Character exploration and Still image In our second lesson we were to perform a role play, reenacting a selected scene from the play. This was to allow us to empathize with the characters and familiarize ourselves with their relationship with each other. I selected the scene with Angela, Andrea and Donald Duck in the barn. We chose to stage this in the round to portray Donald’s isolation, the ’round enabled the audience feel close to us acting ‘feeling’ the tension. We used appropriate proxemics. There were a variety of characteristics to my role. It is in this scene that pathetic fallacy is used a lot as Donald’s emotions are portrayed by the grubby, battered barn. Physicalisation As I was playing the part of Angela I was aware that her personal characteristics would be very different to my own. I was familiar with Angela’s bossy, controlling ways from previous lessons. To portray her characteristics I did the following things: This posture showed that I was over confident. As you can see I had hold of the baby the whole time, although it was an effective way to portray status and authority it particularly helped me by restricting me with my hand gestures. I intimidated Donald at the end of the scene by using positioning and movement to my advantage. > I used good levels to show status > Positioned my body as someone with confidence would > Used very static and energetic movement to adapt to a 7 yr olds characteristics. I also used movement effectively when intimidating Donald. I circled him to show how my character controls the scene. I used centering which is a good technique to show a character physically. As this means that my character is ruled by a particular part of the body, I chose to use the arm holding the baby. When I walked, this arm would lead etc. This also emphasized my status due to possessing the doll. My facial expressions changed throughout the scene mainly because of the themes and emotions varying. My facial expressions always portrayed my hubris: which is my overconfidence. For example- concern ‘Oh dear. Poor, poor Donald’ (denoted from text) My expression was very interested and showed that my attention was solely on Donald. This showed the caring and imaginative side to Angela : I was also the ‘mommy’ which may have encouraged me to over-exaggerate. Another example- Anger and intimidation â€Å"Quack, Quack, Quack† (denoted from the text). My expression was very bold and frustrated. This showed my nasty streak. Chosen prop in scene: Doll Obvious choice as it helped me adapt to my character and her age. It helped me with my Physicalisation by restraining my body to certain movements. Helped me portray my authority, Relationships with others Angela shows her authority over Audrey and repeatedly gets her own way. â€Å"Course I be. I got the babby, aint I? It chunt your doll, Audrey† This dialogue portrays the authority in their friendship. The fact that Angela has the doll and is therefore able to play the mother proves how she has everything Audrey wants. Angela also gets a lot of attention from the boys which is why she gets jealous and frustrated when Audrey gets the attention from Donald, because of this Andrea copies Angela to ‘fit in’ The majority of the time the 2 characters get along with each other very well, especially when they play ‘house’ and get to play the main parts. However when Donald interacts with Audrey, Angela gets angry at him and bullies him: she becomes very violent towards him. The proxemics shows the audience how the characters feel about each other. This means the way that space is being used to communicate meaning. Communication Lesson 3 We used hot-seating in our 3rd lesson. Hot-seating is where one person takes on the role of a character and answer questions asked by the rest of the group in the way they believe the character would respond. Hot-seating is used to gain a deeper understanding of a specific character. Below are some of the questions we asked ‘Donald Duck’ along with his answers. Any Brothers and sisters? Did have a baby sister but died from smallpox 3 years ago. Who’s your best friend? I like the girls because I can play house with them. Was your father violent? No my daddy didn’t believe in violence he was a Christian, an honest man. Favorite color? Red like blood. Does your mum hit you because you’re naughty? I aint no naughty boy she just gets cross at me sometimes that’s all. Why are you more comfortable around the girls? Yes because they let me play and they don’t fight like Peter does. Denoted means information taken straight from the script. Connoted means to imply and read between the lines. D- Has shoes but no socks. Timid and anaemic C- poor, not nourished, not cared for? D-Collects empty jam jars for money. C- Look after himself. Independent. D- Doesn’t like smacking of the baby â€Å"not in my house† C- Past experiences? Treat kids nicely. D- talks about blood a lot when playing house with the girls†¦Ã¢â‚¬ blood all over the saw. Blood all over me. Blood everywhere. Blood, blood† C- Used to seeing it? Psychotic, fascinated by it. D- Lets have four sugars eh? C- Not normally got it, Rationing. Treat for him. D- imitates authority by banging up and down shouting for his tea. C- men dominating?, not used to power. D- Enjoys playing with the girls†¦he hugs himself with glee, rocking slightly C- Nice females: is different to usual, don’t really fit in with boys, attention D- Doesn’t like being called Donald Duck. Goes into a psychotic frenzy as girls jeer and pull his hair. He howls but is totally submissive. C- Used to violence? Hates it because his name is not friendly, derogatory term. D- Donald wouldn’t show Willie his jam jars until he threatened to kick his head in. The boys think he is a weed and a cry baby â€Å"one punch and he’ll give in† C-They know past history, again evident from Angela in the barn. They use it against him. D- He’s got hold of a box of matches by going through his mam’s handbag. The boys discuss how she knocks him about, he sets light to the coal shed after she locks him up in it. C- Pyromania, get rid of bad memories. Fire is something he can control, shows status, redeeming feature. Development section We were asked to get into groups of 4 and elaborate and create a piece of drama around the stimulus below. We decided to use flashbacks to portray Donald’s emotions. Flashbacks represent and explore the background and emotions of a character or a story; we used this as we believed this to be an appropriate way to portray Donald’s motives. As flashbacks are used to provide information about a characters past to explain a present situation. We chose to pick scenes where Donald was being abused and victimized by a variety of different people. We portrayed a life of sadness and abuse in all of our scenes. We also used imaging to represent Donald’s feelings beneath the surface of his actual character. 1st Flashback We showed the thing Donald most longs for†¦his Dad. We tell the audience through dialogue how his father went to war and Donald begged him not to go. 2nd Flashback We showed how mother abuses him and how he is really scared of her. 3rd Flashback Here we denoted from the text. Audrey â€Å"smack er one Donald† Angela† Yes, and if he hits me I shall tell is mam. Her’ll skin him alive won’t her? She hits you with the poker, don’t she? Both â€Å"Quack, quack,† ( hit him etc) We then got Donald to show how he longs to be loved and accepted; he begged and showed the audience his innocence. † please, please don’t, you promised† we then went silent to add a contrast of noise and tranquility. However this was again totally contrasted by Peter shouting at him. 4th flashback Peter: â€Å"where them jam jars, dem girls told me you ad um!† Donald: â€Å"No I aint ad no jars† Girls enter and create a sound collage ( soundscape) â€Å"yes you did, you ad 10 jars you said† â€Å"Dont lie you said† ‘Liar† etc., etc. The soundscaping (Sound collage) was used to emphasize and build a dramatic ending . Soundscaping is where the voice and body is used to create sound associated with the atmosphere. We used a tableau at the end. Also known as a freeze frame or still image: characters freeze as if it is a photograph. We used positioning and levelling: > Surrounded Donald to show his isolation > Peter and girls stood up to show authority > Donald sat down to show his lower status compared to the others At the end all characters froze and we used direct address (where character speaks directly to the audience): this created dramatic irony. It could be argues that this is a soliloquy as it was also a thought spoken out aloud. Donald: â€Å"All I wanted was my dad† Throughout our piece Donald remained on stage rocking and continuously repeating his speech in the stimulus, this emphasized his emotions and gained him sympathy from the audience. When not acting the remaining cast kept our backs to the audience and remained still and focused. This lesson we had to prepare a short piece of drama based on scene 6 of Blue Remembered Hills. The squirrel scene includes all of the boys apart from Donald. We used the script and kept the scene totally naturalistic as this is the way that Dennis Potter intended. We began by getting into groups of 4 and planning our piece. We had to decide who was to play which character. I played Raymond, Rebecca played Willie, Reece played the antagonist John and Tom was the protagonist Peter. An antagonist is the character who has some kind of conflict with the main character (in this scene the main character is Peter). A protagonist is the main character who has some kind of conflict with another character. Another difficult choice was choosing the most suitable staging: After studying all of the good and bad points of every staging, we decided to use a thrust stage. We thought this would be most fitting as it makes the audience feel close to our performance, feeling all o our emotions with us. It also allowed us to use the top of the thrust as a focal point to position the squirrel. As the scene was set n the woods we decided that we needed something to act as tree-stumps not only to set the scene but to also help us with our Physicalisation as we were able to sit, stand and ‘hang’ off them. This also provided us with levels. We began our scene differently to everybody else, instead of beginning with the actual killing of the squirrel we decided to start after this where all of the characters are silent and full of guilt. We used ad-lib (adding our own speech) at the start of the scene to build tension and portray the boys feelings of uncertainty and regret. As we began our piece with an anti-climax it emphasized the themes within the scene such as sadness and lament. We then ran the scene using the script. Throughout the scene it was compulsory that we changed our voice to suit our character. As the play was set in the West Country in 1943 we not only had to change our accent to suit the place but also our spoken language (during ad-lib) to suit the era. Our tone, pitch, pace and volume all changed throughout the piece along with the mood: for example at the begging where there is a major anti-climax our mood is sad and our spirit is low therefore our voice must portray our state of mind. I spoke at a very slow space, with a very low pitch, volume and tone; this was to emphasize the themes of sadness and regret. However, because Raymond has a stutter I found that it was particularly difficult to add all of the voice changes as well as the stutter. As I was a 16 year old girl playing the part of a 7 year old boy there was an awful lot of thinks I had to consider in relation to my physicalisation. My posture was no longer feminine and mature, it was slouched and wild. My movement as a 7 year old was never ending; I constantly had to keep moving, whether it was slow when sad or quick when happy. My group also chose to use repetition of movement in our piece to emphasize a specific characteristic of our character: for example Raymond continuously went to the back wall of our stage to cry. This could also symbolize how Raymond is always at the back, away from all of the action. My positioning of Raymond was well thought through, I remained behind my other actors to show how I was the one against harming the squirrel as I was furthest away. I think that as I played a 7 year old boy well it has proved that I am versatile. Because we were to perform in our classroom we were unable to use lighting, sound or costumes. However if we were able to use them I believe that they would tremendously improve my piece. Costume colours Willie-Greys, whites and light blues to symbolize that he is plain. John -Greens, because it is a neutral colour for a neutral character. He is quite jealous of Peter being the strongest. Peter- Bold blacks and reds, as he is a bold character. Sinister. Raymond-Cowboy costume. Shown below. I believe that some recorded effects would have made our piece have more realism about it. A sound of rustling trees and the chirping of birds would have helped set the scene yet kept it realistic. Lighting would have kept the various themes and focus fluent throughout. I would have chosen the below gobos to set the scene During the ad-lib at the start I would have a white spotlight on the squirrel to make this the focal point for the audience: the white would represent its innocence I would use a red fresnel spot when Raymond says the word ‘dead’. The red would symbolize the death and blood. The fresnel spot is a lot softer like the mood than the par can for example. In our final lesson our task was to produce our own script including the character of Wallace Wilson. My script Silence. Donald sits alone, curled up tight, head down. He is shaking vigorously, rocking back and forth with continuous chanting. Donald: come back Dad, come back Dad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Suddenly, loud shouts and banging is heard off stage. Donald s startled and freezes immediately. (Offstage) Wallace Wilson’s mum: Gerrout! Gerrout thou feivin get! A loud smack is heard offstage, followed by a cry of pain. (Offstage) Wallace Wilson’s mum: Thou wouldn’t dream of stealin’ my matches if you Da’ were ere. A tall scruffy boy is seen entering stage right. He sits on the opposite side of the hay to Donald. Wallace is totally unaware of Donald’s presence. Donald remains silent and alert as Wallace Wilson begins to sob. Wallace Wilson: we†¦wel†¦well e’s not! Your ere ‘nd I dun’t lie you†¦ I dun’t like you at all! I†¦I wish you were dead. (pause) Donald: (whispered) I fink like that sometime, but I dun’t mean it like†¦ I dun’t mean it at all Wallace Wilson: (anxiously) He†¦Hello? Donald: Me Mam ‘its me sometime you know†¦ but I know she dun’t mean it like†¦ it cuza me Dad†¦Jap’s ‘ave got ‘im. Wallace Wilson: Jap’s ‘ave got ya Da’? Donald: Yh 2 year now. Wallace Wilson: (hesitantly) mine too. (Awkward silence) Wallace Wilson continues to wipe the tears from his eyes. Donald lies on his back and gazes up towards the ceiling deep in thought. Donald: Does thou mam drink the clear stuff ‘eh? Wallace Wilson: Yh, Yh she do. She says it ‘elp ‘er like but it don’t. Both boys remain silent and both reflect on their home situations. They become more relaxed in their environment however tug on their clothes to feel more secure. (Suddenly Donald breaks the silence) Donald: She use the poker like? (Short pause) Wallace Wilson: (Softly) Yh. Donald: Belt? Wallace Wilson: (softly) Yh. (Short pause) Donald: For nothin’. Wallace Wilson: For nowt. (Really long pause) Donald stands up Donald: so†¦ thou got any matches? Wallace Wilson: erm†¦ well yer I ‘ave†¦ I just gotta†¦ A young, pretty blonde girl enters stage right. Angela: Who be dere? Wallace Wilson turns and looks in her direction. He quickly wipes his eyes and changes back to his usual boisterous self. Angela: Oh†¦Oh Wallace thou din’t know it were you like. On the name of ‘Wallace Wilson’ Donald realizes whom is actually on the other side of the hay and quickly scarpers stage left. Angela flirtatiously plays with her hair Wallace Wilson: I were ’bout t’ start a fire like†¦ I got me matches. Wallace reveals a box of matches from his back pocket. The end Setting We decided to set our scene in the barn as we felt that this could act as both characters refuge. We felt that comparing the most powerful character with the most weakest would be very effective in terms of similarities and comparisons. Costumes I would like to experiment with costume and maybe dress both characters in the same way. I would dress both characters in dirty clothes, light blue and white in colour. The light blue would symbolize both boys’ sadness and the white their innocence. Dressing hem both similarly would further emphasize their similarities. Sound and music As this scene is totally dependant on he emotions being portrayed through sound it is compulsory that we kept unnecessary sounds to a minimum. Silence was the most effective form of sound, as it symbolized how both boys had suffered in silence. Silence also made the scene awkward and built up tension. Make up I wouldn’t use any ‘fantasy make up’ however I would use a mixture of ‘straight make up’ and ‘character make up’ to add dirt and wounds and scars. Masks Masks could be worn by both characters at the start of the scene and then removed when the boys feel comfortable opening up about their lives. This would make the audience aware of the boys’ feelings towards each other. Lighting At the beginning where Donald is alone and rocking, I believe that a stropescope (where lighting flickers to a rhythm would be really effective. Throughout the piece I would use a fresnel spot as it would create a soft effect as it spreads the light more gently. Another advantage of using this lighting is that it can be focused on a character at an important time. I would use either a white (innocence) or blue (sadness) cinemoid (gel). Levels Both boys were sat down to show they are not very powerful or confident. Both stand up at the end however to show how they have become confident in each others company. Set and Props A haystack (or substitute) to symbolize the barrier between the boys. Movement We wanted very little movement to show the tension and awkwardness between the boys. Voice Use both high and low volume depending on the characters mood and confidence. We also changed our tone depending on our confidence. We used appropriate spoken language in our piece. Staging I believe there to be 2 effective staging Proscenium arch and traverse. Proscenium arch This enables the audience to see both sides of the haystack, and both boys actions and reactions to each other. However the audience is not ‘close’ to the scene. Traverse This is effective as the audience feel ‘close’ to the actors this enforces the tension upon them. Although the audience are nearer it is quite possible that they are unable to see both characters due to blocking.